Lift
by Raccoons and Pandas
Summary: This is a series of drabbles-oneshots all involving lifting a certain person. And it was inspired by a random idea in the middle of student mass. Random strange endings ahead. Warning: Tissue-related content ahead! & Chapter 20 is slightly random...
1. Hoenheim Elric

Raccoon: I'm poor. I'm in college. I can't draw to save my life. Does it sound like I could own FMA? No I'm not bitter and angry as Panda just so eloquently put it.

Ed didn't know why but he always loved when he was picked up and placed on his father's shoulders. It felt like he was on top of the world and that he could conquer anything. His father only did it though when Ed felt really down. That had to have been the biggest letdown when Hoenheim left. He was never able to feel that he was on top of the world.

Ed knew his mother wasn't strong enough. He hadn't realized that she was dying but he knew that she would never be able to pick him up the same way. He also knew that was part of the reason he could never forgive his father. His father had abandoned them when Ed had needed that lift the most.


	2. Maes Hughes

Raccoon: I own nothing except whatever is laying on the floor and desk along with four carpets. Yes, Elycia's speech is mostly correct according to my speech pathology studies. I don't own FMA.

* * *

Maes smiled as he came home from work that day. Ed was back in town, and it was Ed's and Elycia's birthday. Not that his little angel would understand that for a while. She tottered up to him with Gracia following behind.

"Ah' 'a'y. Ah!" She said reaching towards him.

He obliged and spun her around in a flying position before setting her on his shoulders. She giggled and then started playing with his hair. He ignored the fact that his hair was going to be in knots and kissed his wife.

"I invited Ed over for his birthday. And the poor boy was looking very upset about something."

"Big Bro'er come?"

"Yes Elycia. Both of your big brothers are coming," Maes told his daughter.

Ed was upset. Everything that could go wrong had gone wrong. On top of that, he had fallen in a river twice while trying to say that he was really the Full Metal Alchemist. Lieutenant Colonel Hughes had invited him over that night for his birthday though as a way to cheer him up. With all that happened, he had completely forgotten about his birthday. Maybe he would be in a better mood after this, which was how he found himself walking over to the Hughes's residence later that evening. He rang the doorbell and waited for the door to open. Maes opened the door with his daughter standing beside him.

"Ed! Wonderful to see you!"

Ed found himself off the ground in a bear hug. He was a bit surprised but managed to squeak out a 'hello lieutenant colonel' to Maes. The next thing he knew, he was sitting on Maes shoulders while Al had Elycia in the same position.

"Look. Now you're the same height as your big brother," Al told her.

"Now I same heigh' as big bro'er."

"Why are you doing this?" he hissed down at Maes. He'd stay happy, because Elycia was happy. No need to upset the kid.

"I figured with all that has gone on, you needed a lift."

"Not a literal lift! That's not what it means!"

Ed was slightly annoyed; sometimes Maes took things so literally. Gracia smiled as the four of them came into the kitchen, and Ed and Elycia were set on the counter. Ed gave Maes a look that said he wasn't happy.

"Ed, could you reach in the cupboard on your left and grab the other set of mixers?"

Ed swung his legs up onto the counter so he could kneel and find the mixers Gracia had asked for. He wasn't going to admit it, but he had rather enjoyed being lifted up until he felt like he was on top of the world. He was picked up later that night so that everyone could see him to sing Happy Birthday to him and somehow, he didn't mind it as much.


	3. Jean Havoc

Raccoon: Right now, I really wish I was Ed. I do not own the slinky sitting beside me or the rubber duck sitting on top of my Kleenex box (they belong to Panda) but I do own everything else on my desk. I do not own FMA.

* * *

Ed was mad and upset for being mad. He had gotten into a fight with Al and both decided to go cool off before trying to talk to each other again. Half of Central's streets had been destroyed before Ed had fixed them back to normal. He wandered into the military offices to deliver the report except only Havoc was there.

"Hey Chief," Havoc greeted Ed.

"Hi."

"Normally you aren't this glum. What's up?"

"Al and I fought." Ed wasn't really happy but he had learned that admitting small things made him feel better.

The next thing he knew, he was laying across Havoc's shoulders while Havoc spun him around in circles. Ed couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. Havoc sat Ed in an upright position before setting the boy down on the desks.

"Feel better?"

Ed just smiled.


	4. Alphonse Elric

Raccoon: I get random inspiration. This one's sort of AUish and OOC on Ed's part and based on a pic I saved to my computer with Al carrying a sleeping Ed. You can find it somewhere online but I don't remember where. I own jack squat as far as owning the copyrights to FMA go.

Ed woke up that chilly October morning and couldn't braid his hair or walk straight. When he still couldn't walk straight a few hours later, Roy ordered him to go back home to get his automail checked. He was not happy that his automail had to choose today of all days to act up. Sure he and Al had made up from their big fight but even still, he felt bad asking Al to carry him.

"_I'm the big brother. I'm supposed to carry Al, not have Al carry me."_

But Ed knew that if he strained himself any longer, Winry wouldn't be able to simply lengthen his leg and arm. Al picked Ed up piggyback style to take him to the train station but Ed truly was having none of that. He managed to get himself on top of Al's shoulders and smiled.

"I'm on top of the world," he whispered down at Al.


	5. Roy Mustang

Raccoon: I seem to like having Ed bummed right now. I live in a dorm. I shop at Wal-Mart for stuff I can get for less. I hold off on laundry as long as possible to save money. Does it even look like I could own FMA?

Ed was sitting on the couch in Roy's office bummed out. He had fought with Al again over something completely stupid. They hadn't blown up any streets though but each had gone their separate ways to cool off.

"Why so glum Fullmetal?"

Ed grunted and ignored him. Like Roy would really understand what had happened. Ed knew Al would head to the river but he wasn't sure if he could face his brother. There was always the chance that Al went back to the room. So Ed took the last option open and besides he didn't feel like wandering the city. Ed didn't hear Roy push back his chair and come over.

Ed soon found himself being lifted and placed on Roy's shoulders. He could rest his hands on top of Roy's head if he wanted to. Roy had started walking towards the door that separated the two offices when Ed asked "Why?"

"Maes told me that kids love being picked up. I figured that it might work for you."

"Oh. Are you aware you have dandruff?"


	6. Heymans Breda

Raccoon: Don't ask what inspired this one. I think it may have been the current chapter in my earth science book. This drabble has no yaoi. No copyrights to FMA on my part.

* * *

Roy's unit had decided to go to the beach for vacation. They had convinced Ed and Al both to come because both boys deserved a break. Convincing Ed to wear a pair of swim trunks had been another issue. Roy finally convinced Ed to come out and get in the water. Plus Breda had the idea to play chicken.

"Ready Ed?" Breda asked Ed.

With an affirmative from Ed, Breda went underwater and hoisted Ed onto his shoulders. Armstrong had done the same with Fury. All four locked arms and prepared to take down the other team.

"The art of playing chicken has been passed down the Armstrong line for generations."

"Go!"

The people on the beach rooted for who they thought would win. The teams were evenly matched. Ed and Breda managed to force Armstrong and Fury back then with an extra push, Fury fell off of Armstrong's shoulders. He shook his head after he came back up and grinned.

"Ed and Breda win!"

Breda centered Ed on his shoulders again and raised his arms in a victory cheer. Meanwhile, Ed was doing the same and grinning like nothing else mattered.


	7. Vato Falman

Raccoon: I am in a weird mood. I should be studying for Health but I'm not! Instead, I'm reading Earth Science. I live in a dorm so there's no way I'd own FMA.

* * *

Ed wasn't happy with the mission Intelligence decided to send him on. A pedophile was loose and tended to go for boys between the ages of eight and twelve even if they were with their parents. Which was how he found himself in Central dressed as a ten year old. And Falman was his "grandfather."

"Catch him!" and "My baby!" were heard from the surrounding areas. The guy swerved and attempted to grab Ed in the process. Ed twisted and managed to kick the guy in his stomach causing him to double over and release the young boy. Falman had pulled out a gun while Ed made sure the boy was okay.

"Thank you!" the woman said hugging her son and Ed both. Looking at Falman, she asked if there was anything she could do to thank him.

"No need," he replied and swung Ed up onto his shoulders now that the man was arrested. "Take care."

Ed grinned. Despite the fact that he hated looking younger than he was, if it meant helping someone, so be it. From here, he felt like he could do anything.


	8. Riza Hawkeye

Raccoon: Yes there is OOCness here on Ed's part but I'm sure we've all had a day where we just want to curl up in our mother's lap and cry. Nope; I don't own FMA.

* * *

Roy was out at a meeting when Ed returned that day. Stuff really had not been going good. He fought with a bunch of different people including some people he outranked. They refused to defer to a "child." Plus, the last mission had been a royal disaster. So Ed was not looking forward to giving his report.

"He's out," Riza told Ed when he wandered in.

Ed scowled but plopped down on the couch to wait. He just wanted to go back to the dorm and sleep. He felt more than saw Riza sit down beside him and wrap an arm around his shoulders. And before he even realized what he was doing, he had crawled into her lap and cried into her shoulder.

"Shh. Shh. It's okay."

Through the sobs he managed to croak out what was wrong. All the while Riza kept petting his hair and making soothing noises until he finally stopped and fell asleep exhausted. But he realized as he slept that crying had felt wonderful and Riza not minding had also been nice. He continued to sleep until Roy finally came back. Riza's mothering had been the lift he needed.


	9. Kain Fury

**A/n: This fic, previously written by Raccoon is being taken over by me: the notorious Panda! (evil laughter) mine is an evil laugh! Any whoo, this is a fic take over and there's nothing anybody can really do about it. So sit back and enjoy Panda's take on Lift.**

Kain Fury never fit in very well when he was in the academy. His platoon would often go to the bar without the be-speckled techie. In his post under the Colonel, his popularity among his coworkers did improve a small bit. There was something about the men and woman that the Flame Alchemist surrounded himself with that encouraged the tight knit bond they had. Unfortunately, although he was accepted as a brother and co-worker among the group, Kain found he was often left to frantically pick up the slack so as to not get left out. Such was the business with Edward Elric.

Fury had heard told how much Edward had enjoyed being lifted and set upon his co-workers' shoulders and had actually witnessed the small alchemist get lifted by the others. There was something special in that moment Ed's feet left the ground and Fury could not explain it at all. In truth it bothered him that he was left out once again.

He had stayed behind as the others filed out to the mess hall for lunch, leaving him alone to ponder the significance of the others picking up Ed. Ten minutes must have passed as Fury pondered on the matter and then, like an answer to his prayers, the Fullmetal Alchemist burst moodily through the door.

Upon seeing the room void of everyone save the techie, Ed frowned and swore. He had hoped to get his report to Colonel Bastard done and over with. Although giving reports were just below cleaning out a garage, the fact that the contents of the report held nothing but failure made Ed want to be anywhere but there. The young alchemist leaned against the door post and sighed in frustration.

"Edward?" Fury wondered standing up, forgoing all formalities. There was an odd glint in the small man's eyes that Ed could not decipher. Responding with a hesitant 'yes' Ed slowly walked to the middle of the room, wanting to be able to move freely no matter what Fury was planning.

"YISKEE-YABBA!!" Fury yelled as he ran, bent at a ninety degree angle at Ed, aiming for the middle of his waist. The weight of Ed's automail had not been calculated by Fury and upon heaving the boy over his shoulder and above his head, Fury lost his balance and with a yell, fell backwards to the ground.

"What the hell was that for?" Ed wondered with a grimace as he stood stiffly from the floor and cracked his stiff neck.

"You looked like you needed a lift." Fury admitted sheepishly.


	10. Alex Armstrong

Raccoon: Please pardon my lack of updating. The bunny needed appeased for my other name. I don't own anything but the idea.

* * *

Ed had learned to dread the cold days of winter. It made walking nearly impossible plus he lost the use of his arm if he wasn't careful. It just had to be a cold snowy day that he arrived back from a several month long mission. To make matters worse, some of the snow had gotten under his jacket and shirt making his arm freeze up. "But", he mused silently, "sometimes it's good to work with the Flame Alchemist."

Armstrong generally greeted him on these days. Besides Al, he was the only one who didn't get tired quickly from carrying Ed. As the car stopped, Ed made to get out and nearly face-planted in the snow. Two seconds later, he was up on Armstrong's shoulders with his legs neatly tucked inside the man's jacket. He never admitted it to anyone but on cold wintery days like these, he felt on top of the world.


	11. Izumi and Sig Curtis

Raccoon: Interesting fic based on a lovely conversation with Panda about how she is forgetful and cheese. This was her suggestion on who needed to be next.

* * *

The sound she heard late that night wasn't good. In fact, she was surprised she had heard the knocking at all. When she opened the door that actually led to her house, she saw no one there. Looking down was when she spotted him curled up in a little ball. She looked around for his brother but there was no sign of him. Sighing she picked up the boy and contemplated once again how someone so muscular and weighted down with automail could be so light. Getting him awake was her first priority though. She sat down on her couch with him in her lap and gently whispered reassurances in his ear. After some time her husband came in from cleaning up his shop and sat down next to her, wrapping his arms around the two of them.

She didn't know what caused him to land on her doorstep that night but the child in her arms would be her child no matter what anyone said. She also knew that if anyone had walked in then, they would see what looked like a loving family. That was all she wanted to provide for the boy in her lap and his brother. She heard some sniffling and looked down with a faint smile on her face; he had woken up. She didn't press him and after a few minutes she saw a small smile on his face as he slept. She and her husband both had given this boy the lift he needed.


	12. Marie and Denny Grunman

Gem: Sorry it took so long. My 'puter died so you get two for the price of one. I don't own anything.

* * *

Marie smiled when she peeked into the room Ed was occupying. That boy never got enough sleep. Motioning to her partner Denny, both entered the room. While Marie neatly stacked the papers, Denny hoisted Ed into his arms. Ed's eyes fluttered open briefly, just long enough to acknowledge both of them and then he fell back asleep. She watched Denny set Ed down in his quarters and smiled again. Ed may not have realized it but everyone in both Ed's unit and the other units were willing to give Ed a lift whenever he needed one.

* * *

Riza raised an eyebrow as she walked past her grandfather's office. Ed was sitting inside as Grunman yelled at someone over the phone.

"I DON'T CARE WHO STARTED IT! THE POOR KID ALREADY LOOKS UPSET ENOUGH!" With that said, Grunman slammed down the phone.

Riza watched her grandfather smile as he walked over to Ed and picked him up in the air. Riza hid a smile as Ed scowled slightly. Grunman spun around while still holding onto Ed and caught sight of Riza standing in the doorway.

"When are you and Roy going to marry and have kids?"

"Who says I need them when I have all the family I need here? And you already take to my boys so well."

Riza smiled as she watched Grunman spin Ed around again eliciting a smile from the boy. Apparently that was the lift he needed.


	13. Trisha Elric

Raccoon: This is for Panda. She bugged me a month ago about this story. It came out different than expected but I can't think of anything more cute.

* * *

Trisha smiled as she watched her elder son come crawling into the room. He hadn't really learned how to walk yet and so preferred crawling.

"Ah?" he questioned while looking at her.

Trisha smiled and gently swung him up onto her hip.

"Ah! Ah!" he cried gleefully.

She indulged him and swung him up to sit on her shoulders.

"Let's go check on your brother shall we?" she asked as she left the room with Ed happily sitting on her shoulders.


	14. Russell and Fletcher Trigham

"Ergh! What'd you do THAT for?" Ed yelled as he was abruptly woken by a flying Russell.

"Time to get up. Al and Fletcher have been up for hours already."

"Al's a morning person; now go away!" With that said, Ed tucked himself more firmly underneath his blankets.

Russell stuck his head out into the hall and beckoned to Al and Fletcher. While the two younger boys forcibly removed Ed's blankets, Russell picked the smaller alchemist up.

"Hey! Put me down!"

Russell refused to listen and headed towards the kitchen. Ed realized as he hung halfway slung across Russell's back that this was the lift he needed to keep going in life.

* * *

Raccoon: Um, yes. It is extremely entertaining to be on either end of the flying wake-up call. One of my odder little drabbles for this story. And everyone's human though I think you figured that out before this note.


	15. Pinako Rockbell

Raccoon: For Miss Panda who insisted on it as we hurried home through the beginnings of a thunderstorm. And if you're not ambidextrous while using utensils, it's very hard to switch hands even on purpose.

* * *

Pinako shook her head as she peeked in at Ed. He'd been trying to hide in the covers all day. She could see the hand that held down the covers and shook her head once again. He needed to be up and needed to eat. She knew that the leg port hurt but there wasn't much she could do about that. She didn't even bother to try waking him; rather she picked him up covers and all.

"C'mon Ed. Time for you to eat. You do want to be better in a year don't you?"

"It hurts," he mumbled as he turned into her shoulder.

She didn't say anything as she headed down to the kitchen and sat down with him in her lap.

"You need to eat," she told him.

Ed ate like a small child and almost upset the bowl of stew several times. Pinako steadied it before finally holding onto it with one hand and keeping her other hand around his waist. She could see the boy's spirits lift as he finally got a hold of left-handed eating.


	16. Winry Rockbell

"Hey! Give that here!"

"Why should I? You just got the docking port in your shoulder. I think the meds made you high!"

"Hey! I resent that!"

"Here Al," Winry said as she passed over the automail arm she was trying to keep away from Ed.

Five seconds later, Ed tackled her out the door. They went rolling down the drive, neither able to get the upper hand. Winry finally managed to lift Ed up into a fireman's carry before spinning around. He beat at her back with his one arm but all she did was laugh at him. Ed realized as she continued to spin around that this was the happiest he had been in a long while.

* * *

Raccoon: I get random imagery when I try to type other items. And this looks very suspiciously like parts of my own childhood.


	17. Olivier Armstrong

Raccoon: Once again, I stole Panda to help me write and make sure I hit everyone I could possibly manage. Thanks a ton to Miss Panda.

* * *

Olivier had convinced Ed to spar with her to see how the new automail worked in the cold snowy regions of Briggs. Ducking under his arm, she attempted to sweep him off his feet. Ed back flipped backwards and came at her once again. She had forgotten he used a short sword alchemized out of his arm and barely foiled his blow with her sword. Not even seconds later, the rest of the soldiers under her command came rushing in from outside the gates and hoisted Ed up.

"You said you wanted a lift!" she called as he was borne away.

"Not literally!"


	18. Mason

It was one of the few days where everyone had downtime. The boys were working on basic knowledge that their own school would be teaching them. Or at least they were supposed to when a book was thrown on the floor. Mason looked up from the books he was balancing. Seeing the frustrated look on Ed's face, Mason walked over to get the kid to take a break

Grinning, he swooped down and landed Ed over his shoulder before spinning around in circles.

"Hey! Put me down!" Two small hands beat on Mason's back.

"Not until I get a smile out of you," Mason replied.

With some difficulty, Ed managed to sit himself up and grin at Mason.

* * *

Raccoon: This was written in class.


	19. Elycia Hughes

Ed had just returned from a disaster of a mission out in the middle of nowhere. Al had not been allowed to come and so had organized a welcome home greeting party. The group was waiting for Ed to step off the train. As soon as Ed stepped off the train, he was immediately assaulted by a small child. Ed grinned as he picked the girl up; after this latest disaster, this tiny girl gave him the lift he needed.

* * *

Raccoon: Under a hundred words and written in class.


	20. Gracia Hughes

Today was Elycia's fifth birthday and Edward's seventeenth. Gracia had invited the boy over for some cake and to celebrate both birthdays. On this day five years ago she had talked a panicked preteen, his brother and another little girl through what they had to do while her husband went to wake the doctor.

She smiled as she stirred the batter. If the boys were back in town during this time, they would always bring something for her and Elycia. She always asked Ed what he wanted for his birthday and he always told her that the cake was more than enough.

There was a knock on the door and Elycia appeared in the kitchen.

"Can I answer it Mommy?" she asked.

"Check who it is first, princess." Gracia still used the nickname her husband had given their daughter. In a way it kept his spirit alive for her.

"It's big brothers Ed and Al!" the young girl called back.

"Let them in," Gracia called back.

The door opened and Gracia could hear someone take off their shoes and quietly greet the young girl. A moment later both boys along with her daughter were back in the kitchen. Ed had picked up Elycia and sat her on one hip.

"Hi Mrs. Hughes," both boys said. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

She set them to manually blowing up balloons and decorating the living room. She didn't want either child to see their cakes quite yet. There was another knock on the door and Al appeared saying that he'd get it. A moment later, Roy and Riza both walked in and silently lent her a hand. More and more people began to show up; the parents of Elycia's friends and people she knew through her husband. She hears gasps from some of the parents as both boys introduce themselves and continue to let the children climb on them like some sort of human jungle gym. One of the parents appears in the doorway and asked what could be done.

"Take all the children outside please. And tell the parents who aren't outside to come here."

The parent went to do as asked. Gracia could see Riza move to keep a watch from the window but still be close enough to hear.

"Now what?" asked another parent.

"Now all the lights go out. And Roy, remember what you promised," Gracia answered.

Gracia could see Riza shake her head and smile. At a nod from Gracia, Riza knocked on the window and called all the children back inside. Gracia noticed with some relief that Elycia was back in Ed's arms. Havoc was holding Ed's cake while she held her daughter's cake. A few seconds later, Roy had snapped his fingers and the candles on both cakes burst into a blaze of light. On three both children blow out their candles in one breath. As the lights come on once more, Gracia realizes why Ed never asks for anything on his birthday besides the cake. She saw the lift she gave him every year to keep going. She is part of the family he wants to be able to come home to.

* * *

Raccoon: Good God, I got sappy and random at the end. Next chapter is the end dear readers. Miss Panda said yes to this fic when I asked her about writing it. Ed and Al are human in this fic.


	21. Finale

It was the end of everything. And it appeared that everyone in Central was celebrating. There was one group though that wasn't down in the streets getting as drunk as humanly possible. They were standing in front of Central's headquarters watching two boys and their father roughhouse.

"Ed finally forgave him?" asked one of the men.

"He needed to hear his father's side of it. Why he wasn't there for both boys," said another man. "I tried time and again to get him to listen to his father's side. Apparently the Gate finally knocked some sense into both of them."

"Hoenheim explained to both boys why he had to leave. And the boys understand that he may leave again," said one of the women standing in the group.

"What will happen if he has to leave again?" asked another one of the women.

"He has already arranged a type of guardianship for wherever the boys wind up. Different people in different towns must keep their house open to both boys until both are of 'legal age'. He arranged this 'guardianship' with people the boys trust," explained another man.

* * *

Down in front of the group, the two brothers and their father continued to roughhouse. So far it was all three for themselves but Hoenheim hadn't watched his sons spar before. He had a firm grip on Ed and was managing to keep his hands apart. He was also attempting to fight off Alphonse at the same time. Hoenheim tried to use Ed as a shield as Al came running at both of them but suddenly Al was sliding underneath both of them and Ed had his legs in the air. Hoenheim fell back with an "oomph." He looked up to see his elder son sitting firmly on his stomach and holding his arms down. Hoenheim twisted his head to see Al hanging onto his legs.

With a roar, Hoenheim tossed both boys off and gathered them under his arms. He started spinning as he did so which got both boys to laugh. As he spun he realized that Ed's entire unit along with Gracia and Elycia Hughes were staring at them. And he could tell that Ed didn't care. He was going to be in his boys' lives as long as possible and continue to give them the lift they hadn't had from him.

* * *

Raccoon: This is the end of Lift, my dear readers. The first one to talk was Havoc. Mustang was next followed by Riza. Then Gracia and Falman. This has been bouncing around my head for a while and I finally wrote it. There shall be no more chapters of Lift.


End file.
